mokrejs



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,560

J. MOKREJS STOPPING MECHANISM FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 27. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l By Allomeys,

Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,560

J. MoKREJs STOPPING MECHANISM FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 27, 1925 56, IX ng. a

4 sheets-sheet 2 v3 6r .5X1

Nov. 20, 1928.

1,692,560 J. MoKREJs STOPPIG MECHANISM FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS VFiled NOV. 27, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 3 ,Il IIIII lli I Illllll I Il IN III lll Ulli. l

[to rn e ys,

Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,560

J. MOKREJS STOPPING MECHANISM FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 27, 1925 4 snets-sneet 4 Igl. (Bass) INVENTOR By llomeys,

Patented Nov. 2Q, 1928.

UNITED `STATES PATENT ose JOHN MOKREJS, OF NBV? YQRK, N. Y.

Application lcd November This invention relates particularly to automatic stopping or fingering devices for stringed instruments of the type having a plurality of strings, upon each of which a 5 number of different tones may be produced by varying its effective' vibrating length. The guitar, banjo and lute are7 for example, instruments of this kind. The invention has for its object to provide means whereby all the strings of such instruments will be automatically stopped or lingered to produce a variety of chords. Each of such chords is under the Control of a single linger piece or key. The chords are sounded inthe usual manner by' stroking the strings with a plectrum orwit-h the lingers, but the control ot the stopping of all Ithe' strings lfor any given chord isfsimulta'n'eously e'ected by the move` ment 6ta sin' le k'ey." AAnother ob]ect of'theinventien is to pro-- vide a chord' control device which is 'ofi rugged Aconstruction and relative-ly free from complicated parts and multiplicity 'offelef 25 .y Agxgrther object of the! invention is to provid'a'zsimple, compact andI convenientarrangement ofvchord-controlling keys for musical instruments whereby keys required for the production of chords incorrect harmonic' sequencesand inany, musical key will 'be' found grouped closely together. The invention also alms to provide mea-ns for automatically locking the fingering of a. given chbrtd after it. hasfben'atomatically" s'et up: through the'manipulationof any given: key orfaotuating membenuntil' a subsequent Ch'ordis Seti-up' by the 'acttlation' of another key. This leaves the players'hand entired lyfreejtofpa'ss to `af succeeding key after set-fl tmg'u'p zilchoi'd the fingeringfof theoriginal chord being' maintainedwithout any efforton the, pnyefpait. 'other Aobjects- Of the in. vention will be hereinafter se'tforth in conneetio'ri'iyitlr the detailed description ofA the: invention,refeience being had to the accom#A panyingdra\vings,`in -which,

Figure 1' represents a' side elevation ofv the device applied-to the neck of a guitar.l

` F ig..2' shows a plan view of the samedevice viewed from 'the bottom. I

Figs. 3,;4; 5 and 6-illustra`te m pla-n view four 'different types of actuating plates or chord selector plates used in .the device shown in Fig. 1. l Y

' Fig. o* an enlarged fragmentary plan 27, 1.925. Serial No. '.11 S58.

view of the ing locked in operative position.

Fig. (b is an enlarged perspective view of one or the string-stops shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 'i is a cross section taken alonfY the um nl vn of Fig. i. D

n 1g. o is a sicle elevation or a modified form ofthe device applied to the neck of a guitar. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a partial section ot the deviceshou'n in Fig. 8 as it ar)- pears when looking along the neck of the iiistrument toward the bexv or resonance chamber thereof.

Fig 10 is a plan View ofthe device shown in Fig. 8 as it appears viewed from above. certam of the selector plates having been removed.

Fig-'1l is a side elevation of an instrument having a modified form of hook rod adapted to be used in connection with the selector plates'arranged as in Fig..1.

Fig. 12 is aside elevation of another moditied form of the ini-'ention'con'stituting an attachment which4 may be applied to a standard musical instrument as it is normally constructed, and which may be readily detached therefrom if it is desired to play the instrument in the usual manner.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the device of' Fig. 19. A

Fig. V 14 is a cross section of a device shownin Figs. 12 and 13 taken along the line XIV'XIV.v "Y

Figs. 15,` 16, 17 and 18 are plan views of the various types of selector plates -employed in the device shown in Figs. 12',i13an d 14.

Fig. 19 is a' chart indicatingthe correct de signof every selector' plate for' the production of musical chordsfinfevery key of thev Scale. -"-f Fig. 2O is a side elevation of 'one of the hook rods of tlie' device'sh`o\ vn in' F ig. 1. The' present invention provides ja device by which anyone with an ear=for inusie'or acomparatively slight knowledge'of'the principles of musical harmony will be able to perform creditable'accompaniment work on the guitar or other instrument of the same' general type with scarcely any training whatever. The dei vice has conveniently-placed and arranged in scientific grouping.v keys-`or'finger-'pieces, each one of which controls the stopping of an entire chord on the instru1nent,'each string being appropriately stopped or left open, so that when the entire group of'strings is played 110 plate-locking device, the plate beeach will contribute to the correct harmonic effect. The keys or finger-pieces are arranged so that successive harmonic progressions in any musical key will be found within very close range of each other so that it is rarely necessary to skip from one section of the keyboard to another even in performing the most intricate accompaniment.

According to the invention the keyboard may be arranged to control 43 separate chords which are readily accessible to the players hand and which need .not occupy space materially greater in area than the neck of the stringed instrument. With 43 chords it is possible to produce any usual harmonic progression in any musifal key. Obviously it is notnecessary to include so large a number of chord control keys, as for ordinary accompaniment usesycontrol ofA the chords m2, 3 or 4 scales would give an adequate range for aecompanying high and low voices. An automatic stop-controlled instrument embodying i the Apresent invent-ion can bebuilt, furthermore, at a cost not greatly. .in excess of that of the musical instrument itself where the chord controls are adapted simply to produce chords in y al single -misical key `or scale.- 'In other words,.the instrument can be designed to play in one key or any1 nu'iber Ufkeysru'p-tothe possible twelverecognized musical keys, (12

major and 12 minor); and thecost of construc-` tiont will prloportionateft the inumber em.-

l manually stopping the s ployedaf The deviceinay be constructed as an att-achm'ent which may be appliedv in afew moments `to already bx'istingainstruments and. readily removed therefrom awhen it-isdesired to play the instrument inzthe prdinary way by rings for various chords. Gertaitadvantgesyhorvever, are to beobtained by: constructing the musical instrument and the automatic stopping Orrin-1 gering control ,therefor *dan Juitrthe construcf tion` being therebyarendered moregfcompact eration,

and of lowe'rcosttlian iff therinstument 'and automatccoutrgl are constructed separately.

The-, invention mllltemplates thefus'e .of -'a ehordfsustaini-ngadevice which, `when in op'- ping'of thostrings iorfany chosen chord until a subsequent chord issetiupi-by thevplayer, by which arrangement :thej bandi jis f left entirely free to shiftfromone actuatingkeyv to ang other Withouthaste and without requiring the slightest manual dexterity. E Thesetting up of successive chords by `manually operating their respective actuatingl keys;- automatically ,releases 'the' set upffojthe previously played chord and locks the chord beingp'layed. The strings of? the instrumentfover almost the entire bow or sound chamber ,are exposed so that, they may be struck orsoundedin the usual manner by the playe r. The keyboard of the control device may either'be arranged above or below the neck of the instrument. It arranged below, the strings will be exposed. in

automatically maintains the stop-- the usual way over their entire length, so that the player has access to them along the neck ol" the instrument and can linger or stop the strings by direct manual operation without utilizing the automatic chord control if he so desires.

It is obvious that the chord control device need not operate on all the strings of an instrument but only on a sufficient number to contribute the notes essential to the production of chords. Three notes are usually all that are necessary to give desired harmonic effects. Any strings not under the control of the chord selector may ot course be manually stopped as desired and played in the ordinary wav.

The actuating keys may carry suitable mu'- chords which they control and the musical keys in which they may be employed.

Referring to Figs. l to 6 inclusive of the drawings, the chord control device there illustrated is of the type par icularly suited to the control of a guitar, and is adapted to be constructed as an integral part ot the instrument. The keyboard mechanism is located as shown below the neck ofthe guitar, sbthat the strings are accessible to the players hands over their-whole length. The con-l trolv device illustrated comprises ,43 vselector. plates 1 arranged-in astack or bank 2. At the right-hand end of each of these plates 1 is provided a combportion 3 into the 24 slots of which pass thel verticalmember 4 of'h'o'ok rods 5. One of the hook rods isshoivn Ain Fig. 20.- Each of the 43 combs forming a part of the actuating plates 1 are cut in a special arrangement for which'the plate is designed. This is accomplished cutting certain of the slots olfl thecomb sufficiently deep so that throughout the entire motion of such member the yertical portion 4 of the hook rodA 51 willfreely slide therein andcutting the re,-` main'ing slots comparatiyely short,l whereby upon a movement oi the combto'wards'the right, the hook rods lying in the short slots mannerto set up the. individual chord llO of the plate. The short slotsjor active'slots, as they will be hereinafter referred to, are indicated at 6, and the long or idle ,slots at 7- The guitar 'illustrated is an instrument having six strings, and the automatic control is designed to produce live different in-. gerings or, in other words, to stop each string in five dierent positions, y .there being as shown four string-stop members 10, 11, 12 and 13 co-operating at .each string with the first four frets .14 along the guitar neck, the lith stopping et each stringreferred to be ing accounted for by. the Jfact thatwanote is produced when the string is left open` There being four stop members V10, 11,12 and 13 for each string and six` strings, there are required twenty-four of such stops in all and correspondingly*twenty-four members for controlling them, the controlling;r members being the hook rods 5 having vertical members 4 previously referred to.

The vertical portion 4 of the hook rods ex-v tend throughouttheeentire stack of selector plates 2, at the comb portion 3, the comb as illustrated being provided with twenty-four slots which are either short or long depending upon whether the hook rod passing through a given slot is to be'actuated by the particular comb or not. Each of the 43 selector plates is provided with a key or tinger-piece 20, 21, preferably A'formed integrally with the plate and extending substantially at right angles therefromv as shown. The keys 20 are preferably'arranged in 12 trans` verse groups of 3, disposed at even intervals over-the available length' of thestack of se` lector plates, andexteiididownwardly as shown in Fig. 1;; Thekeys 21, of which there are 7,. extend outwardly {from the side of thc s tack-of-selector,plates,l as best shown in F ig. 2. One object of placing keysI 21: on the side of: the stack of selector-fpla tes 2.. is to -avoid crowdingof th'e keysbhfthe under side of the stack.` .Itsiszposs'ibleiaarrange all the finger. pieces' 20 fendi 21 :inwone continuous keyboard underneath'rthes'tackmplates, but this arrangement iii tlie-l space: ordinarilycavailf able' bena'thf themeclero: a .stringed instru-l mentzresultsrin` ia toogreat :crowdingof the keys, -ren'deringy their manipulationgdifhcult.

Furthermore; .the ,farrangement of the seven keys ,21 onthesideofthe instrument", results in certain marked conveniences, due to the peculiar use towhich the 'chords which these keys.' fcontiol ara-putain :musica-1 accompanimenti'aiThese sevenakey Epheferably; control fou` -augmented triadszndx three :diminished 7th .z chordslH-irespectively; rwhichw chonls, through f =enharnoiijc'wchanges;f` meet the" requirenient for both o such: classes? ofy chor'dsl in every musical keyfmBlhcifng the' linger piecers21'controllinv:tliesefseven chords, centrally'and: at' the 's ittivoftheinstrument, 'rens ders thermmore'faccessble from 'any' portion of the main key-boardacomprising the three rows .off tingei' A'pieces :20, their if they were located ateither endf thereof-.1?? z 'I he arrangement off-tlieingerl pieces .or keys con'trollingg the'- forty-three different chords 'which can be automatically set` 1up iin the`- present device- 'is 'indicated f in lFiga re 2, the'musicalvdesigiiation of 'each key being applied thereto.- dit observed that, accordinpj to the arrangement f-there disclosed, the chordsA "necessaiyfor'- the production of usual harmonic cadences wijllfbe found either immediatelyjadjacent one another or removed by not more: thanjonefkeyeitherabove or below, orto theright'or leftof one another. The theory 'of' .thefspecial arrangement of chord icontrol keys,- 'according' to the present invention, willbe readily vunderstood g by those skilled in the art from a consideration oi the following;Y remarks.

Musically speaking, the scales in ordinary use are either major or minor, therefore any major or minor chord may be used as the tonic chord.

A distinct feature of the present invention is that. the chord control keys are not arranged in alphabetical order but in the following sequence: B, E, A, D, G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb or its inversion Gb, Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D, A, E, B, a sequence of perfeet iii'ths. This sequence ot' perfect iourths constitutes a complete harmonic cycle, and furthermore, it will he noted that the chords at the two ends of the enumerated sequence bear the same effective harmonic relationship to eachother as do any two adjacent chords in the the cycle. Furthermore it is obviously' possible to obtain the identical advantages of this arrangement by merely'reversing the orderof the keys. l. u vThe arrangement-of the chord control keys on an instrument keyboard in the sequence given, clusters all the closely related chords around the tonic ch'ord in such'manner that the sub-dominant chords (IV) of thescale in any key occupy the position immediately below the tonic. chord,andv the dominant seventh'chords (V) of the scale in any key are found-next above the tonic chord.

The three most used classes, of chords, viz., the major, :dominant 7th and minor chords are conveniently arranged in long Aparallel rows,rthe chord keys in each being'arran'ged in the sequence B, E, A, D, etc., and the keys in each of'said rows registeringr with the keys of the same letter in each 'of the other rows; According to this arrangement the B major, B domi'nantA 7th,"and B minorchordcontrol keys, for example, will be found in alignment and will'forma group transverse to the llong)r parallel rows of keys'abover described. In otherwordsychord control keys-ofthe same class A(major,dominant 7th-and minor) 'will be found along the saine long rows, 'andchord keys of; thesame letter will be'foiind in'the same transverse groups. t` l.

For the reason that the dominant-seventh chords of major andA minor-keys having the' same tonic are the same in boti'ikeys,therovv of keys controlling this class of chords the dominant seventh chords) is preferably placed between the major-'and minor key` rows where they are equally accessible to both.

SFlii'tlierniore, thearrangement above set forth enables one to easily transpose an accompaniment from one.I key to another as the same relative manipulation of keys takes place around every tonie chord. No theoretical difference occurs even in the keys at the extremities of an open key-board, suchas the Gb key, forI example, except that a skip must be made from one end of the linger-board to the other. Musically the keyboard forms an unbroken circle, and were it not for a variety ot' physical diiiiculties the keyboard might be disposed in the form of a complete circle.

The harmonic sequence hereinbefore referred to and described as commencing with the B chords and ending with the Gb chords, is, as set forth, theoretically an endless cycle, the major advantage of the arrangement being realized regardless of the point or keyr in the sequence at which the keyboard starts. However, a certain practical advantage is to be had from commencing the cycle with the B chords and ending with the Gb chords, because o the fact that the musical keys of B and Gb are the least used musical keys.A Since it is necessary when either the B or Gb chords are employed as the tonic chord in an accompanment to skip from one end of the keyboard to the other to'reach other chords required in usual harmonic cadences, theplacing of the to'ni'c chords of the least used musical keys at the extremities of the keyboard is obvio'usly desirable, these keys' being rarely use,

By virtue of the novel `arrangement of the chord control keys, should one choose"v to'use dominant seventh than the one on (V) of thescale.` 'rt is simply done' by takingrthe- .2d,f,-'3rd, .4th,'f/etc", dominant'sev'en'th chord-'keysl aboye the* tonic and play chel vafter'another,downward in succession, every chord resolving ynaturally int'ozthe chord immediatelyl below'zit on the kybOald.' l I c y.

Control keys for other desired-classes of chords', such 'as the: augmentedy triads and diminished -7th chords,are preferably farranged Virow's parallel to the Vaforesaidflorig rows. comprising .the-v keyboaida l. These othei` classes of chords need lgn'ot,.hdviever', v be pres# ent. Linaequ'al 'nmbe'rs'with ir-thel major, dominant 7th and minovrfchords;` for 'the fea son that through l enharmbrie changes such chords mayofte befused in .sveraldifferent musical keys ias ywill 'be :readilyl understood bythose .familiar with thetheor'y o harmony..-4 I. Through ',enhalinonic .changes only four augmented triads andffthree diminishedv 7th chords are re'quied to 'enable a .performer to introduce such chords intoaneccompaniment in any musicialkeyi J; ,Y1 Y

Because'ofthe general utilityiof the ,four augmented trials and .three diminished 7th chords, due to :their enharinonic character, their control keys'areprferably grouped to Ward the longitudinal center, .o f the ,main

keyboard s o .that they.l maybe reached from any part of such keyboardfwithzaminimum of effort, therebyy 'being conveniently avail able for use in any miisicl' key-.fz .The aores said keys controllingl the" augmented-triade and diminishedl 7 thY chords preferably bear indications of their enharinonic uses but 'this Y is not essential and they keys may bearfpurely chords `farther re'movedm Legame and +4 for' the auniented triads, and -l',

2, and -3 for the diminished 7th chords;

A correct representation of certain of the enharmonic uses ot the seven chord control keys is indicated at the bottom (Fig. 19), which chart Will be hereinafter fully explained.

It is to be understood that the arrange#f ment of the keyboard is applicable to a vari ments, in fact to any musical chords may b hereinbefore set forth ety of musical instruinstrument in which e produced under the control of single keys, and the invention is in no way limited to the use of such a key-l board on the guitar, whichv has beentaken merely by way of example. i

All the major chordsv (first row)A prefer ably bear the followingcha'racters B,.

inant.l seventh chords;

E A, Db, Gb.' Alltheldom- (second row) rnayz vbe indicated bycapital letters andthenumeral chords (third row) ar zAll .the :minor e indicated preferably,

fet-." i f' Music may bearranged with facharcter notation correspondin g to the boyeaorto any purely arbitrary designatin of the in; dividual chord control:Y keys; fbymeans; of which 'not-ation, `one ignbra'nt" of-.the lordis nary 'musicalnotation will be ableftoriplay any" successionl of. chords'frequird. in anfa compani mentv :by 1 .reading characters rcorree spending to .the indications, on'the' keys, and

following vithe generalwappearance of the music forthepurpose ofascertainingthe therel is given .a4-.table of cori rect Astoppingothe sixf strings fof :a guitar@ or' other/, Il musical z strings are tunedto instrumentv in iivliiclri .the the :saine relative-pitches;

By means4 'othis table the correct'- design for every chord selectoraisedinfthe deviceas ape 1 The .table is divided into vsix principal Vverfz i' tical columns corresponding to' the six strings of the instrument and lettered'-y in accordance with the relative-mus'icalrpitcli .,oeacln o such strings,

the l columnsv reading E from left aid .I vertical vinto -our-vertica'l seetionsl orv 'seco'ndar y columns corresponding-re;

sgectiv'ely ltothe ist, o :the instrument stri 2nd,.- .3rd and. 4th, frets iigs. These -secon'da'ry columns are headed, .with characters indicating the correct scale position; oi the,l note pros duced by a string stopped .at theret :repre-4 sented by each The first secondary the Second-Fit, that the` (bass) of said secondary 'columns .I

column: is#i marked Fi thethirdetcgwvhich means E string i when stopped iat the first fret. ,willi producethsnoteqF, ,'Whe'n stopped at the second lfret the note.F:#:ete;

of the chart l is " 3rd fret;

The chart is divided horizontally into 43 rows corresponding to the 43 musical chords controlled by the chord selectors. To the right of these rows are correct indications of the scale position and class of each of the 43 different chords. rlhe seven rows at the bottom of the chart also show the characters +1, +2, +3, +4,1+,2-, and awhich have been arbitrarily chosen to indicate, on the corresponding seven control keys of the instrument, the nature of these particular chords.

The small squares into which the chart is divided by the lines of the aforesaid columns and rows are filled in with numbers from l to 4 indicating the fret at which any string is to be stopped for the production of a given chord, this being done to afford a check on the reading of the chart which can be performed purely by considering the position of the square in which one of said numbers occurs.

A few examples will make the use of the chart entirely clear.

If it is desired to lay out the chord selector for the'Gi-lat major (or F sharp major) chord, looking to the right of the chart the desired formula will be found to occupy the vfirst row@ Study of the first row reveals the following facts; For the production of the desired chord itis necessary to stop the E (bass), AD; G, B. and (treble) e strings in the following positions Irespectivelyz E (bass),-2n`d fret; A, 4th fret; D, 4th fret; G, 13 2nd fret; and e (treble), 2nd fret. Howsoever the invention may be embodied the selector for the G fiat major chord -Will befound in such manner as to effect the stopping of the several strings in the positions indicated@ v i If the G dominant seventh chord is desired, for example, the. selectonmust be formed to effect thestopping of the instrument string inthe positions indicated by the chart, providing of course, that'all the strings of the instrument are to contribute to the chord. Obviously a chord of the equivalent harmonic effect can be produced by striking less than the six strings of the instrument, but the chart in F ig; 19 has been worked out on the basisof having each of the six strings contribute tothe musical effect, by which means the maximum fullness of tone is achieved.

The G dominant seventh chord formula will be found about half waj.7 down the chart. This formula requires that the E (bass) string be stopped at the third fret, the A string at the second fret, the D, G, and B strings left open, and the e (treble) string stopped at the 1st fret. y

If the F :lj: augmented triad is desired, the fifth row from the bottom of the chart shows that the;selector must stop the E (bass) string at the 2nd fret; the A string at the lst fret; the D string must be left open; the G and B strings must be stopped at the 3rd fret, and the e (treble) string at the 2nd fret.

From the foregoing examples the use of the chart to determine the formula for any other chord selector will be apparent.

The selector plates l are for the sake of lightness and the saving of metal variously formed, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively. Successive plates in groups of three are arranged with their control keys 8 in transverse rows, the lower plate of each group having its actuating key on the righthand side, as shown generally in Fig. 7. FiO'. 5 illustrates such a plate, the metal in the upper portion of the plate shown in this figure being removed. Skeletonizing of the plates is permissible because the only portion of the plate that is required to be of full width is the comb` portion 3 through which the vertical members of the twelve hook rods 5 must pass. The next higher plate in each group of three is controlled by a finger piece located in the center row in Fig. 7. This type of plate is shown individually in Fig. 4, a portion of the metal on the upper side of the plate being removed, as indicated. The finger piece or key controlling the upper plate of each group of three actuating plates having their control keys in transverse alignment, is in the left-hand row, as shown in Fig. 7 and is individually illustrated in Fig. 3.

The seven keys 9 located to the right of the stack of plates, as shown in Fig. 7, control the upper seven of the forty-three plates in the stack, as previously set forth. These upper seven plates may be formed, as shown in Fig. 6, by which construction they are rendered extremely light through the removal of their-entire central area, only a sufficient margin 20 being left to provide a frame having adequate rigidity to actuate the comb 3 at the end thereof.

Fach of the plates, as beforeset forth, is provided with a comb 3. Each plate diHers from all the others in that its finger piece or key is differently positioned with respect to the comb from any of the rest, and the comb is individually designed to set up its particular one of' the forty-three chords through its individual control of the hook bars. The comb slots, because of their small size, are

Apreferably formed in the plates by a sawing or milling operation, although they may be stamped out of the plate. The plates, Where an instrument adapted to play only in a limited number of keys is to be made, may be die cast. By this process of manufacture they are necessarily made heavier, but where only a limited number are to be used the weight is not a vital consideration.

On each of the plates l is formed in the upper side of the comb portion 3, a notch l5 into which a latch plate or paWl 16 is adapted to drop when the notch is moved thereunder. After a plate has been moved to its righti fopen www@ cnt instance are formed as a unit, both portions being formed from a single piece of Hexible Wire Steel Wire vis perhaps best suited for this purpose. The wire is bent to form a vertical arm 40 which adapted to pass through tli'el combiof the'actuating plate, taking the place of the vertical member 4 of the previously-described hook rods. To the lett of the upper'portion of section 40 the wire is bent in a substantially `horizontal direction to followjthe' surfacebf the neck of the instrument-itc a point 41,'Where it enters a curved tube or channel 42 in the instrument neck, the positionia'nd curvature of said channel being :so relatedto the vfrets 14 beneath the stringsthat the' portion of the hook rod extending"theretlro'ugh`A IWill emerge f vat a' pointiinmediately belowfthe location 4forthe correct 'stopping of the String at a particular fretl y The "upprp'ortinof the Wirehook lrod isbe-nt vtis shvn tu provide a stringstopfThe's'ctin of tlf 'vvire hook rod to the' left' ofthe'z veztl li''li portion'tO is bent to form Mthe endI ofthe wire bllgthldin proper position" byinsertin g -i n r scketbordifr' al'freinforcing' piece-"45 atfthe lftiliudjijii ofthe" instrument' lhof'vl.' L The s'p'ec'il tio'k' odbigf'ndof :rsilientfwire afti'ordfsjvhe ,beitti'ntoftloop Il14;itl-suitable spring-means*giuritetnrningffiefnffer bein-g for'cedf te gtheight wisse-letzterem@- te ifs nijnen;hpefstvepesitihw Righrandlefthan''df-postjfo'ns''` ijf f the,-g lioolr "rods are shown in *11S I Wliiithe 'ifdd-@after being actu sitedl is"re.'t'1ir'iefl bythetioii'fits U spring, the' f resilient',g of `vh'ihe is' formed will redilybedfdtliroigh'thecurved'channel es; feitusi'nfgue r'else of, Athe strin'gfeiopping porti'jflf through" a. `srbstaitially vertical movement. :Cxitier'selyfwh i1 `the movement of fa 'selector Qlatfd'l "siftll'ehook" rod t'o the figleffthe :wirr

Wilp-basques'aowjifthrough curved: 'chnl 42,causingl tlie engagement tj'theffsting-stppinghembers Y 'fInffFigsf eye-lend) 1o where-is: illustrated a.- Secondfembodinenv of uijinvention, differing quite' widely' "'st'rluctre rm-thefenib'odimentifprevi'lisly @described` land; yet capable efjpereming preiselyfthef'samefnetions. Furthermrg'fthe" mito/devices'4 are i in'i princi-3 ple entirely the same, In the embodiment noWtO' be' desrib'ed'.thectuatingf'orselector plat-etiY ,50 farearrangd n'fI stag'cjlr''ltbenea'th the fe'ckf off die* instifmehejH-Thseplaces; instead iof 'being adapted to: 'slide f lngitudi# nelly-Terepiytallymountedfupn a common axis' 152 andj adapted to sw-ingr transversely over'comparatively 'limited arcs. "Dtails 'ot the'A individual' pl'ateslwill, be4 Ifound; in Figs: 9 and A10S*The's'tac'koi" bankot plf'it'es'vv is rei taiiiedbe'nathft-he 'instrument "neck in a' hou ,sf ing 53 which preferably-comprises afmetfal box 'partiallyFe'ncasingfthe,platesand of a si'zesuticfiently' largefto' permit 'thetree move-f ment of the plates over their limited operat-y ing arcs. The case 53 is fastened to the instrument in any suitable manner as by means of screws 54.* rl`he common pivot of the plates is preferably formed by a bolt 52 passing completely through the bank of plates and the neck ot' the instrument, a nut 53 being applied to the bolt on its lower end, which end also projects through the housing 53, as shown.

The instrument while being played is to be held on its edge across the players lap, the strings facing outward so as to be played in the usual manner, the neck ot' the instrument being held in the playcrs lett hand and the keys actuated by the fingers of this hand. lVith the instrument in this position' there is no tendency for the plates to be pressed'together, `since they all occupy a substantially vertical plane and consequently7 each will freely fall or" its own Weight against the lower side of the casing 53, which position represents their normal, inoperative position.

In place of the hook bars previously ,de` scribed the present embodiment' offthein'- vention employs rocking arms 55 pivoted von longitudinal shaft 56', the stringz'stopping members 57 being; formed as an integralv part ofthe rocking erin-55. The form and arrangement of therespective parts above-mentioned are best shown in'Fig. 9. Thisligure, however, is a. perspective AView of a section of the instrument taken'along the line IX?IX (Fig. 8) looking towards the bowl .of the instrument, and consequently' only shows o 0f the 24 rocking arms employed. "The 'coni trol of the strings iseli'ected by means of four transverse groups of string'st'ops, just as' in the embodiment previously described` thisari. arrangement providing control over five fret-s oneachstring'or SO'frets in all. Und'r'the automatic'control ofthe instrument it, is' pos; sible to produce the same 213 different chord' combinations whichlwere possible` with fthe instrument pret-'io usly vdescribed and which, as beforestated, lenablesfone' to, followfany of the recognized harmonic progresonsorA formulas'in any key. -Obviously instrumentv capable ot' producingrfewer chord com` binations maybe more simplycons'tructed it' desired. Furthermore the constructions here in described/lare obviouslyl applicable where any' greater ,numberA `o'1"c.ho r,d 'combinationsJ` isdesired.Vv f "I 'n "3.1 i '1" It will'be'seentliat it movement of ,the lon'- er end of one ot"the'rocking''arms't'I tofthe" right Fig-9) willproduceladownward ponentof motion in thearm 57 #whichl will 'cause' the stringstopping' 'porti'on '581" to engage the string beneathit, and upon a. con,-l tinua'tion of Pthe. movcmcnt,"'=lepress such string to a-point where it willengag-the fret 14 and thereby be effectively stopped t-othat length. Movement of'thearm 5 5 inlthe op;` posite direction will Correspondingly` release rib , through its act the string-stopping member from the spring. 'lhc portion of the rocking arm 55 below the axis 56 is designed to exceed the mass ot the portions of the arm above such axis, the npper portions of the arm including members 57 and 58. By this means when the instrument is tipped on its side to place in the correct playing position previously described. The rocking arms 55 will normally assume under the action of gravity the positions 1ndicated in Fig. 9` the string-engaging inenibers 58 being swung entirely tree of the strings. Since the plates which actuate the locking levers are also held in their normal or inoperative position by gravity, it will be understood that the present embodiment of the invention requires no springs Whatever in its construction, gravitational forces alone being depended upon to return all of the operating parts to their inoperatlvc positions.

One of 4the actuating plates 50 will now be described in detail, being understood Athat each of the other plates is in rincipl'e identically the same,.the only erencevbetiveen any of them being the vari-.Qns positioning of theparts re uired for the production by each of its indivi ual chord set up. E

Let take, for example, 'the linttom plate of thc stack. Thisvptateappearsat the front o the lstack of plates, as illustratedqn fig, 10. This actuating plate or selector as it is properly termed, controlsthe setting up qof the B` Ichord'on the instrilntennzandnis. svlnng hating ,arc by the application of preure on thelinger piece .marked B ap:- pearing at the extremeleft of the key-hoard, The particular selector leeresV ferred to hcreinafter'asplitetl.A 'This plate, is provided, as shoivmnitli .figur transverse slots 62 which arleslightlycurved'to conform to the arcs of lcircles.drawn about the axis 52 as a center. A'lhesefslots are, unlessob.- structed by,A actuating .lugs 63, .otsniiicient width to freely .receive the lowerlarnis oi .the rocking levers 55and consequently may be swung about the axis y52'..iii/ithout,'moving the said rocking levers .except in accordance. :with the following arrangement. The' production of any chosen chord requires actuation of a certain number of Athe stringstopping members 57 incorrect ),ositionsontheseveral strings. This is broug 4it about by providngactuating lugs 63 at suitable points alongthe slots 62. These lugs project into the slot a sutiicient distance to engage the actuating levers 55 passing through' the slots s.o ,that a movement ofthe plate 61'in a counter-.clock- Wise direction, as indicated. bythe. arrow in Fig. 9, will .cause the actuation ofevery rocking lever 55 occupying a position immedi-l. ately adjacent to oneof the. actuating Lugs Certain chords will require the stopping of every one of the strings of Ythe instrument. The production of such chords willnecessi-` tate the presence of six actuating lugs to move the necessary six string-stopping members 57 into engagement with the strings through the movement of their res ective rocking arms 55, The B chord is of t is type and requires', as shown, six actuating lugs. As indicated in the chart shown in Fig. 19, the details of which will hereinafter be more fully set forth, the production of the B chord requires the stopping oi strings only at the second and fourth frets, as follows: E (base) and strings, second fret; the D, G and B strings, fourth fret; and the treble E string, second fret. Because of the fact that the strings are required to be Stopped only in the second and fourth positions, the actuating lugs 63 are all situated either -in the second or fourth slots 62 counting lfrom the left, three lugs appearing in the second slot and three lugs in the fourth. It will be observed that .lugs controlling the stopping of the even numbered strings counting from the base E ,String oef Clpy e postiento the right 0f .the Center 1in@ of slots 62, while the lugs controlling the odd numbered strings appear to the left of such line. This is occasioned vby the staggered arrangement ot' the rocking levers 5 5, Which Sfseres is. necessitated. .because Of. llielmf it space between -,the strings of Athe instrufA mentl .Riv-.lll be understood that the Staeeered. .rransement 0f the levers 55 and. String-.Stepping members 57. @1.58 loes not, in any Way, impair the. accuracy 0f the pitch of tones produced on theinstrurnent because .always accurately determined .by the Position ofthe frets 14;. 'A .very slight error in pitch might be brought aboutthrough hapha'nardly @message strn at nypoietfbetween tw@ frf-. .Th'e-1P0-Ssigiltyef lSuch en. error is minimized by the deposition nf the stasgered Strips-Stepping.members at equal die. tenues .to the rigliteml le/.ft ,0f 'the Center 0f the .Space between .fretse that the Pith f the strings, stopped-inviamo@ .positions,'\vill lee- Sdbstfmtially .accurate 'Providing the nstrument in proper-puncto start. with.

For the Sake Qflightnesse .triensular pertion ofthe metal. of plete-6l has been ref the ,effective vibrating length'of the lstring is d move-df endl it' is .Obviousthat the plate may i Otherwise .Cut away to reduce its Weight, lfdesired.

- f .he finger piece or key against which the Player presses ahenhe desires t@ set up the chord controlled by plate' 61 is lpre-teraloly termed ntesrallyf with .the plete :and con prises a ,simplegstrip offm'eal. extending transversely from the plate. At the .outer end :of such strip ythe metalis bent. to form a flattened portion' ina pla-ne; transverse t0 that 10ftlle vPlate .6.1, which. flattened Peillon 6.6 serves as the )key proper-against which the players lingers press. .l Y

Each of the'iortyfthree plates lcomprising the staclr orbank 50 differs from the' others o hat) in the arrangement of itsactuating lugs 63 and the position of its controlling key or finger piece, lthe said various arrangements of actuating lugs corresponding in each case to the'required stopping of the six strings for the production of the chord for which the particular plate is designed. The various positioning of thc k ys 66 is required to spread the saine out into a conveniently arranged keyboard whereby each key will he readily accessible to manual control.

The plates 61 are preferably formed with the actuating lugs-63 as an integral part. Suitable stampiig dies can be made to cut out the plate, as shown, removing themetal to forni the openings of slots 62, but leaving in proper positions'thelugs 63 projecting into said slots. A separate' die may be used for each plate or the various plates may be produced by'a die havingl adjustable portions adapted to vary'the position ofthe 'lugs cut thereby. "f

As in the.embodimentpreviously described, tl ie key-boarcl'i's composed of three full rows of finger "pieces, the', first row controlling chordsv` de's'lgi'itdisfollows, beginning at theL left endof the key-board: '13, E, A, D, G, C, FjBiflat, E latt A flat', D flat, G flat. 'lhcw'se'condrow'having the finger pieces in substantiallytranserse 'alignment with the trst, controlsftheV dominant 7thI chords correspondingto the"maior'Y chords of the lirst row. Tlie"third' rowilikewise has"`its linger pieces: A'i'rf 'transverse' alignment with' those of the"irst""and second'row's', and each V'finger piece or' key in the third row producesa minor chord correspondnggto the major and dominant 7th 'chords controlle'dfby keys occupy-y ing the same transverseironi .It'is' understood` that''th'is' Aarrangernent of ch'ordsmay be in-` vertedby` `placing thetG atchordsf at 'the top and the Bclio'rds atthe bottominwhi'ch case they'ivill readiG flat; D f fiat", A flatA Hat;"F, G, G,=D, A, understood 'that' the-'chords designated' as E fiat, A Hat,"`Dat.='and designated D sliarpf,fGgsharp', C sharp@A and F sharp", a's the'tiyoare identical chords.-

A fourth longitudinal rowv of lieysmay be conveniently' placed arallel to thel three rows previously describe ,the seven-'keysef this fourth ro'wcontrollingthe seyen actuating plates or' selectorsv which 'set up four augmented triads andthree diminished seventh chords. These keys are conveniently arranged in the followingorderv commencing at theleftendof the row, that is, the end away frornthe'howlofthe instrument. The successiie'keysl will control the'augmented t-riads enha'monically particularly aailable in the following scale positions: E', G sharp, C; l", A, C sharp; vF sharp, BA flat, D; and G, B. E flat. Continuing along the row. the lastthreel keys will successive-ly control the diminished seventh chords E, G, A' sharp, C

'the fifth by leaving ,E Hat, Bi EQ'B.V Will bey further sharp; F, G sharp, B, D; F sharp, A, C, D sharp. Thuss as in the previously described embodiment, the present arrangement provides three rows of twelve keys controlling respectivelj.' the major, dominant Tii and minor chords arranged in the speciaily coordinated series D, E, A, D; G, C, F, B flat; lC fiat, fiat, D flat. (gl flat. There is also provided a fourth rmi' containing seven keys (,'ontrollinj fj7 as set forth, the augmented triads and diminished seventh chords. In the four rows there are a total of forty-three keys or linger pieces comprising the special keyboard, the arrangement of which is the result ol extensive study and computation. The peculiar' advantages gained by this arrangement of the key-board have been hereiubefore pointed out.

As previouslyy pointed out, the control of tive notes on each string, (four by stopping,

stopped) gives the instrument control ofA a, total of thirtyY` notes onsix strings.' W'ith automatic control of these thirty notes, the

actuating plates providethg :forty-three harmonicallyj different chords,

through the use of which any ordinary chord formula may be executed in any' key whereby n, the most intricate accompanimex'it" inany lchosen key may be "playedaz' n is not in the least necessary that the one perl v lform'ingon the instrumenthave any conception of the actual positions necessary for the.'

the string open or .un-

"ive control'. of 90 correct stopping ofthe:strings'r'equired in the:

.Y All the per# former is required to kn'oyv is the'g'c'rrect' sequence of chords' or harmonie formulas.. Inv many compositions only'.ii'ecessaru'vv toem ploy three dierentchords y companiment of'fthe entirepiec'e.' A 'llin propriate use of thethree chords involve" be very readily learned by production of a singlefchord knowledge of music whatever.

for' the 'correctfacZ-f'f .t fain' one having. no

. For the instruction fbeginnergas"piieyi 'gf ously pointed out, 'speciilm'usical scores 2can f be written for any desirf'l;f,compo'sition in` which the finger iecehs' tCZQI'ltrollingnthfapj-r propriate chords fo 1 tli s accompaniment' b'e indicatedbythe'letters l or acters appearing in the s'core,vsa` characters corresponding tothe indications carriedby the'varions finger pieces compris'-` ing the instrument-key-board By this means perform intricate ac-l a noviceivill be able to companiment Work.

' A third embodiment illustrated in Figs. vice there shown being constructed :is anat-f tachment. The entire mechanism 0f the auto!` matic chord-stopping device is self-contained ofthe intention iSv `wit-hin a suitable frame and may be readily attached to stringed instruments already existing. The device also is readily removable from such instrument without damage thereto, so that the instrument may at any time 12 to 18 inclusive, thedeone. permitting moi/"e the plates by vpulli special forni of 'CIv elufrnp 74 passing beneath the neel; et' theA instrun'ient und securely. rlarnpingthe two sidesof the casing against the neck, the clamp being adj usted by lnezins of a linurled thumb serep 75. l

The heusing'is prgvidedwith suitably fern'ied projecting in'w'rgx'r ly from its wallsA and 'adapted to engage the upper surfueet' the linger board 0i the musical instrunient preper for the purpose ol' properly pesi@ tiuning the he lsing wrijving the werking pr-r'tsl of theflerifm, with respect tu the strings und liets ef the instrument. elerntiirg'ib'ore theline el lugs 7G e seond setel' inwrlly'p'rejee lugs are these la,t 'te i"A serylng ns of a'tuetingplittes, r'seleetofrsfl und inninminm v wir' abeve :the mstipinei) t st 1;1,x12;';1i neessrryf bleei'an'cf The stack held l'efiely between the guide lugs the upper portion ofthe nyertetl U 4'IQwhich passes'ver freely sldeor-fe upon @rather :ind yet .willbe retained -in their stack suiiient aurucy toipreventglost'niotien sufficient to proglliee rattling between the plates.

lt "\\"ill be borne ninnd that `the Apresent device, as in the.

a' 4 :intl housingY formed, guides for 4the. stru-l;

vd -errangement with reviousl dese-ri ed; is ac lrtpted to be plziyed:

with 'thef instr: iihleint the perfrmers lp', theplzit'eslis l"o uniultiveeh'ect to produce fretioirbet 'en su'cd epl a tes, the weight of ezieh"restixigdi'reetly' upon its ouin lower edge'h \vl ii e l 1 Wliennthe instrument is turned on its sigle, will 'freely slide A: tlung the lower side offtlreUliousingTQQ i 'ril'fmfffrpingfp1-ues ril-maw@ to Sud@ lying 'on its edge vacross of the irist'r'u1nent 2 'tl1 e linger piges 78 ecntrolling tl'ie' 4I Dlrte's being s itujted n t, the right lmnd"end'there, as shewniin Figs. '12 und 13. lnftliepr'esent inst-linee tl1 e" `nige r pi eee s i insteed of as in the ease previpnsly; d ibetlnoving the plates by p'i1s h i1fig, Thisnrr n'geinenthas the inhereht drp-litiageqf requiring plates of lesserl thieknesslh thoev'required to sustain pushing O1 CoA i )resjslonal stretin besutliit the weight of ther-eis 'ne tendency 'whatever tofbuclcle. vIn

. s u h:1s an'iple tensile strength, string-stopping evers.

The leftihanl pertionef en ch actuating te uelxuate the .J i ,i 1 s slotted tureeeive six parallel rows .1 1'. ,fu le s ll., nach ui tnerons el second; Atlriid und fourth 'lretsef theinstrument. Thus, as inthe devices hereinbefore described, there'willbe thirty different notes under the control of the selector plates. The six slots 81are sufficiently long to receive the four normally vertical levers controlling each string and to `permit the free movement of such levers over their operative arcs. As in the embodiment of the' invention previously described, .the selector plates are each individually provided with a particular arrangement of string stop actuating members which; in the -present case consist of the bridges 82 which cross the slots 81 at points immediately to. the left of the levers 8O that are? toibeactuated lby any given plate.

l; In Figi 13 the upper plate of the stack exposedgto'vicw'isthe plate controlling the B maj or chord.'V L Examinationi ofi the 'chart in F igI l19 'shows'i'that l'this chord requires the stopping of the following position E (bass), andzAstrin'gs 2ndv fret; D, Gand B strings, 4thfret;1and the 'ei-(treble)- stiing, 2nd fret. It willi be seemA :that theisix bridge pieces 82 blocking.'thefsix-slotsare disposed in posif tionsfrequired; forlthe,A actuation of levers 8() appropriate to thex stoppingof the ystrings at the`- positions indicated/by the chart.

Six :of-'sthe leversrareizshownmoved to the rightniii :Figsl :12,andf13 nnderg the control of th'eoDi ilatamaji'orl selectors plate 1 which, as

shownphas :beenshifted itofoiperative'position. i Thesleversrtli'si displacedi ifrrom the vertical I or moperativeqisitipibrbeingrindicated by occupy their normal inoperative positions.y

domina-nt fseventh, `[Dfanajnr, "andx one: diminl 'i ishedE sevnthl (1n-f) ffchord, i respectively, .the .f

` -fturn'tlie belll-cranks to inoperative"'positioIi,-""105 -buteffectively been f moved to various samange mentifoll-l the, 'slot-z bridges z or stopi` actuating-parts 82 :required for.5 the productiomof theizstated=4Jchoiidsa being clearly Sllofwnlgeiiiz sind wenn Dit'. v.

The'iileversnSOiare grouped, shown, 1n four-'transverse rwsfoi s1iclevers,feach ofthe levers in saidgroups being' pivotallymounted 84;fthe1pin" passing'throughthe upon a: pin

six levers Einw, groip.` and ;being.,.fastened at eith'en e'nduofi thei housingf72acontaining -the stack-ofiplates.' {The lower arms :ofthe leversextend -f=transverselyr .toethe right, asv shown,` forming'iwith theveiticali armsibell-crank de'- vicesw LVhen the upper .end .of the; leverv 80` is moved to the right,'tlie lowerarine 85 thereof will. .be swung downwardly. :The free end Lof the 'lowerxlarmf 85eof: suchr1bell-cranks is positionedimmediately above the strings of ,f yl second and third strings of thelinstrument on when the :'-arni 80-isl movedto'the'leftn- The bell-cranks are preferably formed by suitably times, be'acting on a selector bending a sheet'of metal, as shown in Fig-s. 12 and 14, to provide the two arms 8O and 85 at right :ingles to each other, while the metal at the junction of the two arms is bent to form a U 86 through which the pivot pin 84 is passed. The two walls ot the U in this manner provide double bearing surfaces for each bell-crank, and the flat extension of the metal arm 85 from the lower portion of the' U will lie in a horizontal plane, which ar! 7o rangement is best suited to the positive engagement of the strings. As shown in the Y drawings, the vertical arm of the bell# 5 crank device is flat in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the instrument, this arrangement permitting of the grouping of six levers side by side in the width of the instruvment .neck without crowding or interference The bell-crank formed by lever'arms 80 and are retained in their normal inoperative position by means of springs suitably located, one arrangement of the sprin'g'sf'beffif ing shown in Fig. 12.'. Here `coil springs 87 are hooked into the vertical arms 80 at point i somewhat above the pivotal' axisfanfd the springs, which are of the' tension-type', fa's't"'"'f cned at points to the left of each leverl'? /Vith',r respect to the secon,d,ithi rd and fourth'trans-U versey rows `'of levers; `the? said spriiig'sr preferably each vfastened t'othe pivotalfairis: 95 `f the `end of the main housing 72g'whic'h isy per` 'forated'to receive theleft'hand ends of the f lsix springs'controlling thefirst-row ofi belle? f cranks. The springs 87 serve not only to re"1 restore anyH selector' that' has *i the right for the purposeof setting up a chord, to its'normal position "It,

'Will -be understood thatfthe'ref'Willfj"at fall' Y plate when it has 11o fbeen moved4 toy the'f right, the cumulative- 'effect'of lall the springs'attachedtothe several "c levers 80 which have been'moved bythe-actuation of the plate. According to the chart in Fig.19,the production of-any one of the iiforty-three chords there tabulated requiresthe actuationof at least two 'of the'stringf stoppingvlevers, {While many of the chords frequire the actuation yof the type requiring the movement of six levers. `The' chord i two levers isfthe E'minoi` chord. This chord fi requiresonlythe'mechanical stoppingof the i i the second fret, the othherffour stri'ngsbeingfl minor chord there willialf-.g the actuating plate `to its normal position.

In the case ofchords requiring the'stopping of six strinfrs such for example, as the G fiat 130 Vtension 88 may be convenientlyfformedionf.100

of only 12o 51";

I leftopen. It will be seen that even in the exf treme case ofthe E ways be two of the springs 87 actingto restore l5 another,I all thecontrol `previous embodimnthas .instrument istrmgnend achete-said. meyeliesinfwarousecm strings,. and a plura major Achordthe. plates will-.ibe acted upon-. bythe resilient force of sixfofthespringsf-S?.' Thesame special arrangement ofzthechorzd control keysldesribed in connection withthe been .preserved in.f the present. embodiment.l The peculiar adT vantages Aresultin -romthe speciaharrange-.rA ment- Ofi the keyoardwhich were particularly. described, invconnection. with# thel ,pr e. ferr-ed embodiment -of theinvention, are real,- ized equally well in thepresentform,sothat= practically every typeptmusifll; accompan-- iment can beplayedwithoutthe necessity oi skipping from one 'sectionl of the key-board, to; keys required {jor-:- the production of usual: harmonie.- sequences. .o r; cadences being foimdwithin .very close.v range- 0f enenethee Thefdipositionpf .themetmhkeys 73011. IOP-Qiliefiustl: meet-temiresithemftoibe.acf tuatedbyinee -=t.11e'ng.rs=ef the left hand, upon-Which:theeeckioiitheinstwment rests., While the Side keys f1.9, maybe .aeua-tediby the... fingersfof the. leibrhenfh 01u by. theihumb f'- fwhih, When-it isi .realmwfdafisenreeientlyi. brought ietf? #l Q .Qitien@we ihfnelaoi the instrnxnen t a.- 3 i. W-.h` @variare im@ Qfrtheinrentipinlm beenfhiifrinbeore partieulerlyldwcrlbedand illustrated., .tqisHto bei ,undereweflathatrflw i eretmbut may-.be ineditifaillit-ans).difiedsv ini/@amalis.eqtilmtedfth Otherwisetvariwslyyem.

` thesnirit @inthe mf folien-ina Claims..

Withiltdepartimiren venteni .asset orthnithe What); .lelimfsn- A Sh'umente, .Seid .erpe-mremwng-aark-.olif`- Superimnesediherd sclmtereaplmahtn 0f .-1

means edentedirte eli t-herstopeing .'Of .the membersrmjetng at an. angle im theinstrumanifestrings thxmlgh f. s=d.bankioiseleter$, whereby; Said-.string s'onpiegmeens maar befindenendently: wrede Said. seletnsibeing respectively/adapted to i.. birratonsr whereby', .their.mstuiimentwstrngsg niaserbe stoppedftogprodlli 121;.; Variety-,of chords '-gbyn the successive manipulatonotthesaid selec. torsfi.

2; .A chord control deyiceforstringed-.ini

1dei/ice comprising@ bank Otilutessaidjplates:beingarelalanes-substantiallyieparrr. allel to.. the. .common-,plana of. the; instrument 3- lity :otf.str.ing.sto1giping ted to' be actuated i in various .p chord combinations by the. Sucoessivemanipw. i lation of the. Ysaid .chrdselector plates. A chord control. device -r .stringed .instruments, saiddevice. comprising. a bank-otr superimposed .and krelatively Slidalilencliordv selector plates. .a plurality o-z istr-1-ng-S`tops,.. andmembeigs projecting through: .said banket struments, saidi chordselector. p tivelyumevabbe 3in p members adap selectorplates .whereby said-4 string-stops. may.

:chord .selectors plates, saidpla .by the platesmay-b .musicalepitchsnsaidideiiic .ralityi ofiistnmgfstoipplng.; members,-

.f strings .toip'roduce a musi tomatic; locking` ,deviceizfo .one/:oi said actuating, means .positiomny .said .fingen pieces areiormed integrally uw to settlieszdd string-stops- .forthe .productionu ot a musical chord.

A chord control Adevice for stningedinm.

si run lents, .said i device comprising.a-.bankaioffi1v ci nord: selector .plates,.portions :ot whiclrlia vn been remoedto.provide registering throughffzopenings-,i and; string-stop i actuating-l meansc. projectingi through.. vsaid` banlrl .ofeplates @mdsv lljyingivithin said openings.. 1 l..

6.1 -A -chord AcontroL device farrstringed nfa85 struments; .said devicei .comprising ,a .bank-Lehi chord selcctor= plates,` means; adapted tohld saizhplates together, inareeislicngontactio. and :fing-'eri pieces .-adaptediitoiindixiiduallyv: move saidchord selectoniplat. 90 7. A chord- 4control devriceiomstringedain-fi. strnments, said.. device compnisingba. bank :ofi-

viduallyi'adapted m nsica'l ichord. andhaving each a rigid; finger-.195. piece {disposed} ima1 diielzent. postionewheem efindependentlyi manipuia. latedffthe finger .pieces 'ormingwirtnaltyi mju kcyhoard...l. .i -r- S.@A:chordccontnolrdevce for stringedfinl 1Go strumcnts oilthe. type having' a plurality ofri L `strings, each ot i Nvhielrimmy .bei .stoppediiinic-.- various. positionsetmprodnoe a` plurality off-iii.

ecompgisinga pluia 1;

r'alityi .-.-o'iindependentlyi ,operable 'selectom u t means, each of said means being adaptedm' when movedfnto ,opepate positiongetoreeotif the -engagementoffcrtaim ofthe sajflfstningfa i l stoppingr .members .with'thergstringsl .and at; f1 I0 positions required` lion-...the stopping .ofi such c Calgcltord; and an,- au'- nololding; ati least; i

tionaten-it Ahas been manuallyfmoved .toisch a ielding..meansyadaptedi to restore saidact-uatingi .means to'1inoperativewposition. r Whennoti hldnby :said: lockingldevices, tandfref i leasing means :adaptedrtavautomatically disi= i engage .said .lo'clcingzdevioer from: the isaid sea` 120 lector: means; held'. in. operativeeposition -f g sueh` device,l i when-.another of ssaidl. selector .-'r- 3 i Y. means is movedntoLoperati-ve positiom.J

9.-..The-. chord 'controlndevicel accordingz-tog4 claim 7, further characterized.

ithn

the selectorfplatesf.;

l0..The chord control .device-according. to2.

tmcontrol-ithe.-settingoina 1 -in ioperatiile,i posi-n. vf-

.in1 that' the; 1.125

claim 7, further characterized in that the said finger pieces are disposed so as to form a keyboard having three substantially parallel rows of keys.

11. A chord control device for stringed instruments, said device comprising a bank of chord selector plates, said plates being arranged in groups such that the length of the plates in any group differs from the length of the plates in the other groups.

12. A chord control device for stringed instruments, said device comprising a bank of superimposed chord selectors, said selectors having a comb-like toothed portion, a plurality of hook rods projecting each through the said bank of selectors and lying within the teeth of the comb-like portion of the selectors. i

13. A chord control device for stringed instruments', said devi'ce comprising a plurality of chord selectors supported below the finger- .board of the instrument, a plurality of string- -stops mounted above thesaid finger-board,

- and-.sa plurality-of members projecting throughsaidiinger-board, said members bev ings-a apted :respectively to transmit/,motion from ltheJselectors; to individual string stops ,whereby when'the selector for a desired chord is actuated", the. ,S tring stops correspondingto 'such chor will :be setin operative po- Jisitldfl" .7a-zr 11:11' 51,-- r'. r i

14. The `deviceaccording, to claim 13, furthencharacterzednthat saidmembers projecting-.through the linger-board are pivotally 35, supported. by the linger-board. y

"15.-,Amusical:instrument-keyboard characterized-.inthat keys-controlling.various mu*- sicalgchords-are arrangedjn.- a, se`ries and in the following sequence,

vdirection, the' chords controlled by akey at f-.the upper. end-ofthe series bearing the .same .frelationrtoi'the vchord controlled, by a key at wthelower-end ofthe: seriesiasanychord con-V rtr'olledby one ofzsaid ,cont-rolled' 'b'yf the key@ immediately. above it 16.' A="musical'instrumentfkeyboardof the Ytype imwhch theikeyscontroLchords instead of Aindividual notes, said keyboard- :.belngicharacterized iin: that= the chord. control keys fora giv'en. class an invertable consecutive series normally 5 17'. A. musical instrument-keyboard of the control major,

G, C, F,Bb, Eb, .Ab', Db, and .of the same-letter beiner Substantially oppowhich sequencecon; -ical-lydi'erent chords. of

40 stit-tes-afharmonicallyiclosed cycle ineither` keys'lbears,tothe-chord;

'cordingf f to' claim '19,5 further characterized the-saidifsequencebeingB, E,

- dominant seventh-,chord classes,are-.segreo ='chords; are, arranged in Ab, Db, and Gb, each keybe'i-ng adapted -to control a chord the.

type in which the keys control chords instead ot' individual notes, said keyboard being characterized in that keys controlling chords of the same cfass are segregated respectively in separate rows, the keys controlling the said chords in at least two of said rows being arranged respectively in the following sequence, which sequence constitutes a harmonically closed cycle` thc chords controlled by a key at the upper extremity of the keyboard bearing the same relation to the chord controlled by a key at the lower extremity of such keyhoard as any chord controlled by one of said keys bears to the chord controlled by the key immediately above it in the said sequence, the said sequence being B. E, A, D. G, C, I", Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb, the said lines of keys beginning at a key in the sequence given and continuing in either direction through said sequence to and including the key. adjacent to the key of beginning.

18. A musical instrument keyboard ofI the type in which the keys control chords instead of individual notes, said keyboard being characterized in that the keys which. respectively dominant seventh and-minor chords are arranged in rows,'a plurality of keys within each row being arranged 'in accordance with theconsecutiveorder. given in the following invertable sequence :,B, E, A, D,

Gb, thekeys site each other in the t ree rows.

. 19.- A musical instrument'keyboard of the type in which the individual keys separately control chords instead of individual notes,

-said keyboard being characterized in that a plurality of keys each controlling harmonthe same class, are segregated respectively in separate, class rows, the keys controlling the said chords of variousclasses being arrangedin their respective rows in the same sequence inregard to vscale position. 2

` 20.,.Thje musical instrument keyboard acin that keys controlling the major,em inor, and

gated respectively into separate class rows.

2l... A musical. instrument` keyboardl ac- 115 cordingto claim v19, lfurther characterized in that keys. controlling chords o f,th'e4 major, dominant seventh, and minonclasses are arranged. respectively in parallel rowsrf.

22. A musical. instrument keyboard according toclaim v19, furthercharacterized in that the keys controlling chords'of the same class Y are arranged in rows commencing with B chord keys and ending with Gb chord keys. l

23. A- musical instrument keyboard bf the type in which the-keys controlchords instead of individual notes, said keyboard being' characterizedin that the keys which-respectively control major, dominant seventh ai'dminor chords are arranged in rows, and arelatively 1an 6 'actuating'pzii't adptedfw'i'lientlie'plate "-is position, 'tom'ovel-'the'said fdetentfoutof en smaller numlierof keys mnt-willingthe auf; mcnted triads and diminished sere-nih chords oeilrgr disposed 'ter'of=lie longer rows of keys controlling the ina-jor, dominantJ seventh, and minor chords. 24.1A musical iustr| :\.nent keyboard n'f'liie typein Wliicli'tle keys control chords instead of individual notes`r seid keyhoardbeing 'charaeterized in that keys cemtrollinf;r atleast 'the-maj0r, do'u'iinant seventh, and minor Ichord classes-be grouped in separate and sub- "istantially coextensi rows, the Vdominant m' stopping ineansareadapted'ftoproj'eet., and

i' in which Openings saiclzrnensareE normally `=free to beimoveuinto operative or inoperativeposit-ion7'a-n'd said plates beingvcaehftur- Hier-'provided' with at least one string' stop toward the longitudinal cenj moved' from its uorinal iiioperatire positim;` to attuate the corresponding string-stopni:ifT means. L o

30. A chord control device :according to claim 28, Vfurther characterized 'in' that aid selector plates' 'are dilferently termed and eeli'individually provided .ritlf one or more stringstop-actuating parts, wliieli parts are -'eaclrada'pted to'more certain ol sai-:l string"- stopping means to set up tlie particular clioiid for"wliielifeaclrseleetor plate is adapted, and sa-idselector'jlates being formed to permit their being independently n'ioved from iuopei'a'tireto ip'emtire posit-ion without'nctua'tiugany 'ot' 'saidf string-stopping means *save t-llelparticu-lar mie-:uis required for the 1produetionolftli-intlivicl'utxl cliotrl set-up for gagement with the detaining surface of a selector plate previously locked by said detent.

34. A chord control device for stringed instruments, said device comprising a frame supported beneath the neck of the instrument, a plurality of superimposed longitudinally slidable chord selector plates guided Within said frame, said selector plates having a plurality of slots, the said slots of the several plates being superimposed in transverse registration, hook rods with down- Wardly-proiecting hook portions` said hook portions lying one Within each of said slots, a plurality of pivotally supported string stops adapted to be severally moved by said hook rods into engagement with the instrument strings, springs cooperating With said string stops adapted to move said stops out of engagement with the instrument strings and thereby to restore the selector plates to inoperative position, each of the said selector plates being characterized by an individual arrangement of hook-rod actuating parts, said parts being disposed in certain of the slots of each plate whereby to actuate the hook rods appropriate to the production of a particular chord, and a plurality of spaced finger pieces each connected to a selector plate and arranged to form a keyboard whereby the said plates may be individually and selectively moved into operative position by manual control.

35. A chord control device according to claim 34 further characterized in that each of the said selector plates is provided with a shoulder, and a detent adapted to engage such shoulder when a selector plate is moved int`o operative position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOHN MOKREJ S. 

